Sunday, February 21, 2010

February 14 and 21, 2010: Loosing my Copper pot




2-14-10

What a morning so far. When we packed last night I choose to carry my new copper pot on board, to protect it. I protected it all right, I protected it so well, that they took it away form me in security. I really don’t know what the hell anyone thought I was going to do with it. What, me a fifty year old woman clobber someone with a copper pot on a flight to the us? All I could really do it it in a violent manner is irritate the hell out of someone, but really hurt them? Seriously Can you see the headline? My cute little copper pot in which I had fantasies of making carmel or some fabulous sauce. They just took it away, my French totally escaped me and conveniently no one spoke English. Finally after I cried enough they send me to the US Airways desk and some one there will keep it for a month if I can find someone to go to the airport and mail it back for me, or someone who is traveling who will check it. This was after I had to already paid a $50.00 surcharge on my bag because it was too heavy. This cute little copper pot is beginning to cost as if I had birthed a child in France rather than just tried to buy a pot. What I can not figure out, seriously is what the danger is with the pot. If I think about it It still makes me cry two hours later. Damn it it was my BD present from my parents. I Am seriously reconsidering my future views on air travel, they nickel and dime you to death, and then treat you like a terrorist. What I am saying is I am not feeling the friendly skies any more.

2-21-10

Retrospectively I am still mad, sad and hurt over my pan. I think Julia will go fetch it for me, but what a headache for her! It is not a cheap trip, it will take a few hours and then she will still have to mail it when she gets back to Paris! But at least I did not have the chance to clobber anyone with it! As if, the whole idea was to keep it from getting dented! Like I would want anyones head print on it!

We got on the plane and I put my tray table down to write the above and the dratted thing would not come down correctly, it was if they had slapped in some seats that did not go together. Then in an effort to console myself I started watching a movie, which might have been good, but two thirds or the way through they had a technical difficulty. Customs was a breeze, actually even a pleasure due to the man at the counter, he joked, and flirted his way through his job, having fun, still doing his job, and making our experience the best ever. I thinks they should let him train! Rather than the dour faced people that one usually meets, He was the sunshine in our day up to that point!

I got home to Roses, Balloons, Candy, Cards, and Teddy bears that sing and that do not. It was good to be home and that was indeed the highlight of my day!

Saturday February 13: Bows, Frozen Toes and Last DInners









I was having a lot of angst about buying the purse Jodi told me she would get for me for Valentines day. The one from yesterday that could have been a financial disaster, the cute black one, with a bow, that is so perfect, and so expensive. I kept thinking about the cost, that I had seen a cute one earlier in the week for a lot less at BHV and so, Megan and I went to BHV before heading to the Fifth. I had a look but it did not have a shoulder strap, and not really a bow. At least I had satisfied my curiosity. We exited the metro and Megan endured a mini lecture about St. MIchael prior to picking up a couple of last minute souvenirs. Then we wandered into a Creperie St. Andre des Artes and had a delicious mushroom and swiss crepe and hot tea. It was blessedly cold but we headed back out into the streets to have a look at the bag. There were a few Irish gents with some French friends wandering too, apparently they were there for a soccer game. Megan was cute, fliritng with them, and a couple of them were truly adorable! To get to Max (the purse store) we had to bid them farewell and good luck, which they said they did not need because of their skill. I bet they won their game!

I bought the purse! She is a cutie, all soft supple leather, huge in side, with great pockets, a shoulder strap and a lovely bow! I was already dreaming of where everything would go in the purse, but we were on our way to the D’Orsay. We choose to walk as there is not a great way to metro to the museum from where we were. It was still bitterly cold, but we did have hand warmers with us and that helped. When we got to the museum there was a line outside due to security checks, and we did about freeze. There was a guy there selling hot chestnuts and they smelled heavenly. Inside the museum still feels the same though everything was moved around due to renovation on one part of the museum. Lovely paintings by Renoir, Monet and Degas all crammed together with people crammed in between trying their best to see. There was one painting called the Origin of the World that I had to take pictures of for class! Yes, look that one up if you are bored! Seriously, don’t it is a shocker, a picture of a woman’s genitals and even I felt a little perverted taking a photo of it. But it will be great for class!

We went back to the apartment to rest and thaw a bit.

For dinner we headed back to Bofinger, I had Pumpkin Soup with chestnuts, Duck leg over potatoes and mushrooms with a lovely sauce, and we shared a chocolate mousse for dessert. This was accompanied by a lovely Bordeaux, good nose, legs and taste! Sigh.....

Back to Packing!


Saturday, February 13, 2010

Dragon Fruit, Wandering, & New Friends at the Hidden Kitchen


























This morning Megan and I decided to have a separate day, until the Hidden Kitchen this evening, anyway. Breakfast for me was a croissant from my favorite patisserie, dragon fruit, cheese and meat with of course cafe au lait. After a discussion in class Yesterday about neighbor hood preferences I thought why not walk a couple of steps more every time when I really do prefer the people in the one on rue Rockett? This morning I put thought to action and took the extra few steps the the patisserie where the people smile and say bonjour like they mean it! The dragon fruit here is totally different from what I have seen at home, and much better; juicy, sweet and fucia in color. Probably what our creator meant for dragon fruit to be!

Getting off the St Michele metro at St. Andre des Arts feels like being home. I wandered down familiar streets to our favorite purse shop, Max. Once again I fell vicim to the need for a new purse. It was almost a financial disaster as there were two that I really liked! But I had trouble swallowing the price of one of them. Now I can't wait to get back to the apartment and get my stuff into it! I wandered on up rue Dauphine to rue de Buci and on toward St Suplice. To a store that makes my heart beat rapidly. La Comptior de Famille is filled with lots of red, white and fruity kitchen ware. I think I could just live in the store! I have lived in my home for over 7 years and have looked to replace the utensil holder I have now, it is actually a wine bottle chiller and needs to be free to live it’s rightful life. I had seen a couple of utensil holders for my stove in May and not purchased either, another part of my mission was to get one and I did. Getting all this home will be an adventure!

Wandering and breathing in the smells, sounds and sights of Paris I realize that I could indeed live here. I think Jodi could lead these city street people right out of the ninetieth century! Seriously, paint cross walks by hand, I wonder when we last did that in the states?

I decided to stop for a goodie at Paul. Paul was the patisserie I patronized when we brought the kids the first time. It was close, and looked nice. I later found our that it is a chain all over Paris, and beyond. My waitress was a short little lady, who has several years on me and a somewhat dour disposition towards me. I had a lovely rhubarbe tart , red fruits tea and a rest. I love listening to the background chatter in places like this. For a while the JUles Verne restaurant at he Eiffel tower had that sort of back ground chatter on their website, and sometimes when I got lonely for PAris I would just bring up that website. IT is gone now, though. Anyway, it was filling to sit there and get my belly full. I had to return to the apartment to rest up for the hHdden Kitchen - Paris!

We arrived first, and got to chat with Laura and Meg. We were greeted with Champagne with a lychee floating, which gave it a nice appearnce and flavor! I am not usually a fan of Lychees, but this was nice! There was a couple from Boston, A couple from Engalnd and a man from LA sitting near us, the only problem with this dinner, to my way of thinking, is that one does not get to know the folks at the other end of the table. The Amusee Bouche was fried sage leaf in a rosemary gratinata, the sage leaf alone was to die for!.. Followed by A beat and potatoe Carpaccio, linguini with romano and black pepper. Then came sort of a soup with a roasted sardine ( too bomy, the soup was fabulous, but the fish reminded me of the fish from yesterday - boney!), this was followed by a palate cleanser of a mint Julep. NExt came Rabbit deep fried over a spicy legume, after wich came caroline sloshing her water all over the table! Seriously the next course was beef cheeks and dessert was mandarin shotrcake, with mandarin ice cream, and finally petite fours. Appropriate wine with course and coffee with dessert, It was another fabulous experience, both with the food, and the people I got to meet tonight!

This morning Megan and I decided to have a separate day, until the hidden kitchen this evening, anyway. Breakfast for me was a croissant from my favorite patisserie, dragon fruit, cheese and meat with of course cafe au lait. After a discussion in class Yesterday about neighbor hood preferences I thought why not walk a couple of steps more every time when I really do prefer the people in the one on rue Rockett? This morning I put thought to action and took the extra few steps the the patisserie where the people smile and say bonjour like they mean it! The dragon fruit here is totally different from what I have seen at home, and much better; juicy, sweet and fucia in color. Probably what our creator meant for dragon fruit to be!

Getting off the St Michele metro at St. Andre des Arts feels like being home. I wandered down familiar streets to our favorite purse shop, Max. Once again I fell vicim to the need for a new purse. It was almost a financial disaster as there were two that I really liked! But I had trouble swallowing the price of one of them. Now I can't wait to get back to the apartment and get my stuff into it! I wandered on up rue Dauphine to rue de Buci and on toward St Suplice. To a store that makes my heart beat rapidly. La comptior de Famille is filled with lots of red, white and fruity kitchen ware. I think I could just live in the store! I have lived in my home for over 7 years and have looked to replace the utensil holder I have now, it is actually a wine bottle chiller and needs to be free to live it’s rightful life. I had seen a couple of utensil holders for my stove in May and not purchased either, another part of my mission was to get one and I did. Getting all this home will be an adventure!

Wandering and breathing in the smells, sounds and sights of Paris I realize that I could indeed live here. I think Jodi could lead these city street people right out of the ninetieth century! Seriously, paint cross walks by hand, I wonder when we last did that in the states?

I decided to stop for a goodie at Paul. Paul was the patisserie I patronized when we brought the kids the first time. It was close, and looked nice. I later found our that it is a chain all over Paris, and beyond. My waitress was a short little lady, who has several years on me and a somewhat dour disposition towards me. I had a lovely rhubarbe tart , red fruits tea and a rest. I love listening to the background chatter in places like this. For a while the JUles Verne restaurant at he Eiffel tower had that sort of back ground chatter on their website, and sometimes when I got lonely for PAris I would just bring up that website. IT is gone now, though. Anyway, it was filling to sit there and get my belly full. I had to return to the apartment to rest up for the hHdden Kitchen - Paris!

We arrived first, and got to chat with Laura and Meg. We were greeted with Champagne with a lychee floating, which gave it a nice appearnce and flavor! I am not usually a fan of Lychees, but this was nice! There was a couple from Boston, A couple from Engalnd and a man from LA sitting near us, the only problem with this dinner, to my way of thinking, is that one does not get to know the folks at the other end of the table. The Amusee Bouche was fried sage leaf in a rosemary gratinata, the sage leaf alone was to die for!.. Followed by A beat and potatoe Carpaccio, linguini with romano and black pepper. Then came sort of a soup with a roasted sardine ( too bomy, the soup was fabulous, but the fish reminded me of the fish from yesterday - boney!), this was followed by a palate cleanser of a mint Julep. NExt came Rabbit deep fried over a spicy legume, after wich came caroline sloshing her water all over the table! Seriously the next course was beef cheeks and dessert was mandarin shotrcake, with mandarin ice cream, and finally petite fours. Appropriate wine with course and coffee with dessert, It was another fabulous experience, both with the food, and the people I got to meet tonight!







Thursday, February 11, 2010

Cookin' with the Classy!

















I could not wait to get up and going this morning, even the anticipation of the cold that would greet me on flipping back the covers did not deter me! Today is our cooking class with Cooking with Class, the same school in which I did classes with in May! I could not wait to see Pino and lean a few new things! Megan was pretty excited too, but when she decided to go for a run, I had to remind her what time we needed to leave. Her own mother is probably less bossy than I! She came back with a croissant for me, declaring the streets slick. They were indeed slush covered and slippery. The metro was packed and I love looking at the faces I see there and wondering what their life is like, are they happy, do they have a similar fascination with the States that the one I have with France. At one point we waited and waited in the Metro car until we were late! Eventually we arrived and all traipsed off to the market area after introductions! It was great to see Pino again and I learned new stuff this time too, even in the cheese shop! The vegetables were certainly different, some just not there, others packaged rather than fresh from local growers. The leeks were magnificent and the radishes lovely. Don’t EVEN ask me what accompanied the radishes in the photo, I have no idea. They do look rather phallic don’t they?

We choose to prepare, with guidance from Pino, Rabbit with vegetables on Mache (Pea Greens - some sort of lettuce) with a sauce from the braising juices for an appetizer, Followed by Scallops (coral and all) and Sander en papillote with julienne vegetables and saffron sauce. Accompanied with Veloute of Jerusalem Artichokes. I am just not a bone girl and am still feeling one of those pesky little bones in the back my throat! The stinker is that Pino let me clean the fish and check for bones, smart man! Still I did my best and it was full of tiny little needle like bones. The Scallops, veggies and Veloute were great though! Making the Veloute, I found yet another toy I think I need in my kitchen, an immersion blender! Next was the cheese course, which this school does and does well! There were about 12 kids of cheese and most of them new to me! My favorite was one flavored with Nocello! For dessert we prepared a Tart Tatain! A new one for me to cook, and it was decidedly good.

There were four other lovely ladies in our class as well, Susan, Susan, Jackie and Donna, and after class Jackie and Donna (daughter and mother) wanted to go to the cooking stores. I was on a mission, I have been fearful about using the rolling pin I inherited from my grandmother. I could just see striking the croissant dough wrong and hitting the granite counter rather than the dough! I could imagine wood splinters and my grief at destroying it. For this reason (among others) a rolling pin was a the top of my list. Also on the “List “ were chocolate sticks for Pain Au Chocolate, not my favorite but of you like it! In addition I had been toying with the idea of a copper pot. I am elated to tell you that it was a successful adventure, at least for today. The pot and chocolate are not lightweight and I am hope I am equally happy with them on the plane ride home! We had toyed with options for the evening, but after experience frozen derrieres, we decided to stay in and relax, maybe even thaw out. Retrospectively we both agree that it was an excellent idea!